As part of its mandate, the WSIB covers the cost of hearing aids for workers that have damaged their hearing on the job. Yet the WSIB is now cutting their coverage to devices made by just three manufacturers, massively reducing the number of devices available to injured workers. Different devices work best for different people. The coalition believes that the selection of hearing devices should be made by a hearing healthcare professional and their patient – not made by a government looking to save a few bucks.

Worse, the top-quality hearing aids that WSIB has been supplying workers for years have been excluded from the list as well. Injured workers are no longer able to replace their hearing aids with the devices that work best for them.

Believing that this action is totally unacceptable, the coalition is calling on the WSIB to reverse their decision, and encourages all Ontarians to reach out to their MPP through the campaign website, www.hearontario.ca, to voice their concerns.

Hear Ontario is a coalition of hearing aid manufacturers and hearing healthcare professionals working to maximize the choices and quality of hearing aids provided by the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board. The coalition supports high-quality healthcare for Ontarians and their families, and equal access for all, particularly workers whose hearing has been damaged on the job.